Automatic nut-tapping machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

H. A. HARVEY.

AUTOMATIG NUT TAPPI'NG MACHINE.

v./n u errhny (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- E. A. HARVEY.

AUTOMATIGNUT TAPPING MACHINE.

.Patented Febjzv, 1883.'

71 Houses. imi.. adam..- Jywff W, MM l N. PETERS. Phoblllhvgmpmr. Wanhnglon. D. C.

(No Model.) BSheets-Shaet 3.

` H. A. HARVEY.

AUTOMATIC NUTTAPPING MACHINE.-v No. 272,877. Patented Feb.27,1883.

u4 PETERS. Plwlumognpher. wauwau. ma

UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE9 AUTOMATIC NUT-TAPPING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 272,877, dated February 27, 1883.

- Application tiled August 11, 1852.'

(No model.)

tain Improvement in Automatic Nut/lapping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Itis the objectof my improvementto economically effect the feeding of nut-blanks to tnpping mechanism, and to tan the blanks, release them from the taps, and discharge them from the machine wholly by automatic means. To this end I have devised a multiple-nut tapper in which a single feed mechanism adapted to present successively each one of a series of nuts in position to be operated upon is combined with arevolving head containing a numy her of radiallyarranged taps, to which are imparted constant bodily rotation around'a common center by the rotation of the head which supports them, and rotation upon their longitudinal axes, trst in one direction .to enable them to tap nut-blanks supplied to them, and then in t-he opposite direction to release them from the tapped nuts. To effect the engage ment ofthe nut-blanks by the taps, I provide, in connection with each tap, an arm projecting radially outward from the head which carries the taps, which arm, in the course of its rotation, sweeps out the lowermost one of a column of nut-blanks superposed upon their sides and contained in a vertical tube. The collision of the sweeping-arm with the lowermost nutblank is e'ected at the instant when the tap to which the arm belongs is in alignment with the hole inthe nut-blank. The nut-blank,

having been swept out from under the column,

is thereafter pushed toward the tap by a pusher supported upon the sweeping-arm and having the capacity of movement in a path which is radial in relation to the tapping-head. Immediately after the nut has been caught by the sweeping-arm a friction-roller'in the outer end of the pusher is brought into contact with a stationary eccentric guidewall, by which,` as the head rotates, the pusher is forced inward, and, being thus brought into collision with the side'of the nut-blank, forces the blank upon the end ofthe revolving tap, which is thereby made to completely engage the nut-blank and cut the screw-thread therein. The nut-blank is prevented fromtnrning under the influence of the revolving tap by the collision of one of its sides with the side of the sweeping-arm and the collision ot' the opposite one of its sides with the side of a shorter arm bolted to the head, and presenting a bearing parallel with sweeping-arm. By means ofa suitable changegearing the taps are made to rotate upon their own axes in one direction during one half of their orbital motion and in an opposite direction during the other half of their orbital motion. The feeding mechanism is kept constantly in operation, there being no necessity to delay the feeding until the nut-blank has been tapped and the tap withdrawn from the nut, because as soon as each nut-blank is delivered it is carried outward with the tap which is to operate upon it, and is operated upon and discharged before the tap has fully completed its orbital revolution. Y

The accompanying drawings, illustrating a nut-tapping machine embodying my improvements, are as follows:

Figure l is a top view. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section with some of the parts shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the feeding mechanism. Fig. 3im is a cross-section taken through the line y yin Fig. 3, showing the table upon which the nut-blank is deposited from the magazine, and the side arms which prevent the blank from turning while it is being acted upon by the tap. Fig. 4 is a top view of the feeding mechanism and contiguous portions of the machine.

The drawings illustrating my invent-ion represent a revolving head, A, mounted upon the upper part of a vertical shaft, A', to the lower part of which -there is affixed the cog-wheel A2, whichis rotated by power transmitted through the train of gearing consisting of the pinions A3 and A4, keyed to the vertical counter-shaft A5 and the pinion A, and miterwheel A7, keyed to the vertical shaft A8, the miter-wheel A"1 being driven by the miter-wheel A9, keyed to one end of the hollow horizontal shaft A10, to the other end of which there is affixed the pinion A11, meshing into the smaller pinion A12, affixed to the counter-shaft A13, which has affixed to it the larger pinion A14, driven by the smaller pinion A15, keyed to the driving-shaft B, provided with the driving-pul- -the axis ot' the tap and with the side of the IOO ley B. The driving-shaft B extends through the hollow shaft Alo and carries upon its inner end the bevel-pinion B2 for driving in opposite directions respectively the bevel`wheels C and D. The bevel-wheel is keyed to the lower part of the vertical hollow shaft C, the upper end of which carries the bevel-whee102. The bevel-wheel D is keyed to the lower part of the hollow vertical shaft D', the upper end of which carries the bevel-wheel D2. The vertical shaft Al is inserted through the hollow shaft C', and affords the bearing therefor, while the hollow shaft C is inserted through the hollow shaft D', affording the bearing for that. By this organization of gearing it will be seen that the revolving head A and the beve1-wheels C2 and D2 have a common axis of rotation, and that the bevel-wheel D2 is rotated in the same direction as the revolving head A, but at a greater speed, while the bevel-wheel G2 is rotated in the opposite direction. The revolving head A carries a series ot' radially-arranged tap-arbors, upon each of which are two loose bevel-wheels, c and d. Between the two bevel-wheels c and d, upon a part of the tap-arbor which is of enlarged diameter, is the sliding clutch-sleeve E, provided with the usual key or pin, c, extending,r transversely through the longitudinal slot e', formed in the tap-arbor.

The usual forked lever, E', is provided for shifting the clutch-sleeve E and holding it in engagement with the bevel-wheels c and d, alternately, the engagement with the bevelwheel d being for the purpose of rotating the tap in the proper direction to enable it to cutf the thread in the nut-blank, and the engagement with the bevel-wheel c being .for the purpose of rotating the tap in the opposite direction to unscrew the linished nut.

The upper end of the 'forked lever E is proing that part ot the orbital motion -of the tap-arbor during which the tap is employed in cutting the thread.

From the concave face d of the stationary guide-rail Z2 the friction-roller E2 is conducted by the switch E3 outward, and made to travel upon the convex face c of the stationary rail c2, which serves to rock the upper end ot' the clutch-lever E radially outward and hold the clutch E in engagement with the bevel-wheel c, thereby rotating the tap in the opposite direction and causing the finished n ut to unscrew itself. The reverse movement of the tap-arbor continues until the friction-roller E2 at the upper end ot' the clutch-lever is brought around the switch E, previous to which the finished nut has been fully unscrewed from the tap and has thus been allowed to drop by its own gravity intoa chute, F, for conducting it to any convenient receptacle. By the switch E4 the friction-roller E2 is reconducted to the concave surface d ot' the stationary guide-rail d2, by which means the clutch -sleeve E is again brought into engagement with the bevel-wheel d. and the tap is thereby rotated in the proper direction to enable it to repeat the cuttingop` eration upon another nut-blank, the timely presentation of which in proper position to be operated upon is eected by the feed mechanism.

The drawings illustrating my invention eX- hibit a revolving head containing twenty radially-arranged tap-arbors, all of which have an orbital motion as the head in which they are supported rotates, and rotatory motions alternately in opposite directions upon their 1ongitudinal axes, in obedience to the operation of the organization ot' gearing which has been described. The tap-arbors are alike in their construction and mode of operation, and the description which has been given of one ot' them applies to all of them.

The taps are all supplied with lubricatingiluid from the reservoir G, supported upon the upper end ofthe shaft A. The lower end ot' the shaft A' is provided with a bearing in the step a, cast upon the base-plate of the machine, and the upper bearing, a', is formed at the junction of the spider-frame O, the three legs ot' which are bolted to the three vertical posts O. A hole, G2, is tapped longitudinallyin the upper portion ot' the shaft A to receive the lower end ofthe discharge-pipe G', the upper end ot' which is inserted in the bottom ot' the reservoir G. Below the bearing a the shaft A is perforated transversely in two directions to receive the hollow couplings G3, by which the lubricating-fluid supplied from the reservoir G is conveyed from the bottom of the vertical hole G2 to the branch pipes g g, from `which it is discharged upon the taps, respectively. By this construction the apparatus for oiling the taps is carried around with the revolving head.

An annular pan, G5, supported underneath the circle of taps, serves to catch the lubricating-Huid which drips from the taps.

The tap-arbors H are provided with horizontal bearings in the annular Vertical lianges H H2, cast upon the revolving head A. The taps I are suitably secured in the outer ends ot' the arbors 1:1. The mechanism for feeding the nutblanks to the taps is illustrated upon an enlarged scale in Figs. 3 and 4. 0n reference to Fig. 4, which represents a portion of the revolving head A and two ofthe taps I, it will be seen that the periphery ot' the revolving head A is polygonal, and that the end of each tap-arbor projects outwardly from the center of one of the faces I of the bead.

On either side ot' the tap-arbor there are two horizontally-projecting arms, Kaud L, the opposed faces k and l of which are parallel with each other and with the axis ofthe tap. These faces are provided respectively with the lon- IOO IIO

necessary rotatory motions to the taps. Thus, in cases where the machine is to be adapted to out the threads of thin nuts'and comparatively feW revolutions of the taps are required for the cutting operation, it will be found convenient to provide'the tap-arbore with a fixed pinion, and to arrange two stationary half'- segments of circular racks, the one having a concave face to engage one side of the xed pinion on the arbor during one portion of the rotation ofthe revolving head, and the other having a convex face to engage the other side of the arbor-pinion during another portion of the rotation of the revolving head. In such case the arbors maybe made to rotate upon axes parallel to the axis ot' rotation of the revolving head in which they are supported.

By mounting the head upon la horizontal shaft the feeding operation may be performed substantially in vthe mannerwhich has been described, the further modification required being the substitution of aconcave supportingtable in place of the flat table M2 shown inthe drawings.

I claim as my invention- 1. ln a nuttapping machine, a series of taparbors adapted to be rotated upon their longitudinal axes by suitable gearing, and mounted in a revolving head, and a like series of arms, K, each provided with a pusher, Q,'in combination with a table, M2, for supporting a nut-blank in the path of movement of a portion ot' the arm K, and with the stationary guide Q3, as and for the purposes set forth. v

2. The tube M for containing a column of superposed nut-blanks, and the table M2 for supporting the lowermost nut-blank of such colunm, iu combination with a series of taparbors and a like series of arms, K, mounted upon the revolving head ot' a nut-tapping ma' chine, substantially such as described.

`3. The adjustable table M2 and the adjustable arms K and L, in combination with the revolving taps I, mounted upon the revolving head A.

H. A. HARVEY. Witnesses:

M. L. ADAMS, W. F. HEATH.

gitudinal shallow V-grooves l' and la' lfor preventing the rotation ot' a hexagonal nut-blank, M, while it is being tapped, by catching two of its opposite corners, as shown in Fig. 3a.

The bolts K' and L', by which the arms K and L are respectively secured to the face of the revolving head A, are inserted through slotted holes formed in the bases K2 and L2, so that the latter may be adjusted toward and from the tap for the purpose ot' adapting the mechanism for tapping nut-blanks ot' different sizes.

The direction of rotation' ot' the revolving head is indicated bythe curved ai row N on Fig. 4. A

It will be seen that the forward arm,L, does not project from the head quite as i'ar as the tap l, but that the arm K projects consider ably beyond the tap.

The nut-blanks resting sidewise one upon another are contained in a vertical tube, M'. The lowerinost blank rests upon'an adjustable horizontal table, M2, the object ot' which is to hold thc lowermost blank at such an elevation that the hole in it will be in the same horizontal plane as the taps.

The table M2 is made vertically adjustable by being mounted upon the vertical slide-piece M3, provided with the adjnsting-screwhfl* and the clamping-bolt M5. The vertical slide M3 is supported on one of the vertical posts O, to the upper ends of which the top trame, O', of the machine is bolted. As the head revolves the arm Land thetaplsweep by withouttouching the lowermost nut-blank ot' the column ot' blanks containedin the tube M'; butthe projecting part k2 ot' the arm K strikes against the side of the blank and sweeps it out from under the column.

For abundant caution, in order to relieve the lowermost nut-blank when resting upon the table N2 from the weight ot' the column of blanks above it, l have provided a device for holding up the superposed blanks, while the lowest one is being dropped upon the table M2 and being moved away by the arm K. This device consists of a horizontally-reciprocating slide-frame, P, carrying the verticallyadjustable lower stop, P', which traverses the space immediately beneath the lower end of the tube M'. This plate occupies the position in which it is represented in Fig. 3, when a nut-blank is resting upon the table M2, and while such blank is being carried along the table M2 by the projecting part k2 of the arm K. Al'ter the arm K of one tap has moved entirely across the space beneath the tube a vertical pimp, on the next following arm K is broughtinto collision with the inclined face of the wedge p', aflxed to the slide-carriage P. the resultant et't'ect ot' which is that the slide-carriage P is pushed horizontally outward, thus removing the lower stop, P', from the lower end of the tube M', and permitting the lowest blank of the column ot' blanks contained inthe tube M' to drop upon the table M2 in time to be caught by the arm K of the next following tap. Prior to the removal of the lower stop, P', the column ot' nut-blanks rests upon thelower stop. Conc'urrently with such removal the pin P2, attached to and carried by the slide P, is moved horizontally outward from the head A through an opening, P3, in the side ot' the tube M'. into the hole of the nut-blank which is next to the lowest blank. When therefore the. lower stop, P', has been so far removed that the lowest blank can drop upon the table M2, the remaining blanks in the tube are held up by the pin P2. When the vertical pin p has, by the motion of the head A, been carried b v the wedge 19', the slide P is returned to its normal position by the expanding spiralspringpl. Thelower stop, P', is thus carried under the lower end of thev tube M' Iin time to catch the lowest blank, when the column is permitted to descend by the complete withdrawal of the pin P2.

The engagement ot' the nut-blank by the tap is effected by the pusher Q. provided with the friction-roller Q', which at the proper time is brought into collision with and moved along the eccentrically-curved face QZ otthe station'- ary guide Q3, which is suitably supported upon the adjacent post 0 of the machine. As will be seen on examination ot' Fig. 4, the face q of the pusher is thus brought into collision with the side of the nut-blank, and as the pusher-roller Q' travels along the curved face Q2 of the eccentric guide the blank is forced against the end ot' the tap I, with a pressure which is continued until the tap has engaged and. eommenced to cut the thread in the blank. After passing the eccentric guide the pusher is carried back to its normal position bythe expanding spiral spring Q54. As the operation of cutting the thread progresses, the nut blank moves radially inward toward the head A, and, as before stated, is prevented from turning upon the tap by the collision ot two of its corners or sides against the opposite side of the arms K and L.

The gearing is calculated with reference to giving each tap a sufncient number ot' revolutions, iirst, in one direction to cut the thread inthe nut, and, secondly, in the opposite direction to cause the nut to releaseitselt' from the tap before the tap has completed one of' its orbital revolutions.

In order to further adapt the machine for operating upon nut-blanks of different sizes, the tube M' is made movable, and is sustained in position by being clamped against the side of the stationary' arm R by the adjustable flaringjaws E', which bear respectively upon the opposite edges ofthe outer side of the tube.

By loosening the jaws R' the tube M' may be removed and a larger or smaller tube snbstituted in its place can be clamped in likev manner by tightening thejaws R' upon it.

It will of course be understood that various methods may be employed for imparting the IOO IIS 

